HOUSE RULES
UPDATED: July 3, 1998
Preface
These "House Rules" refer to pages in The Laws of the Night. Under the heading for each page number you will find various rulings, interpretations and re-writes. If a page number is not listed then you can assume the page is unchanged as it was originally published. If and when we adopt other published rules they with be placed in the appendices.
Disclaimer
Please try to keep in mind that our storytellers are all
volunteers who do their job out of a love of the game. The house rules
are meant to reflect our interpretation of the published rules. If a ruling
appears to be inconsistent for some reason, please be respectful and try
to work with your Head Storyteller to resolve the problem. We can't promise
you perfection, so sometimes you may need to help us out by going along
with an unusual ruling and then working it out later.
Choosing Disciplines
You may not use the option of starting with an intermediate discipline.
Humanity Additional Beast traits are worth 3 points. You must take at least one additional Beast trait to buy your generation lower than twelve.
Other Aspects
Background Story-Your character can include as many years
of waking life as you want in their story, but your background story will
in no way confer any advantage on your character.
Equipment-All starting equipment must be approved by the storytellers. You must have item cards for all equipment other than clothes.
Abilities Characters of 8th Generation or higher may not take more than 5 levels of any ability. Humans and ghouls may have no more than three levels.
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Brawl Characters without the Brawl ability may still attack with empty hands.
Bureaucracy Characters without this ability may still use it, but any activity takes three times as long and will not allow the use of aliases or red herrings.
Computer Characters without this ability can still operate computers, but they can only access public records and perform other mundane tasks.
Firearms The last sentence should
be read as "Those with the firearms ability may also choose Mental Traits
instead of Physical Traits during a challenge in which a firearm is involved."
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Medicine This ability will allow a retest on the second challenge when staking. See the rules on Staking for more details.
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Melee Characters without this ability may still use weapons, but they are down one bonus trait.
Occult This is a general ability
that provides a general knowledge of several topics. Characters wanting
to specialize may choose Lore. Characters will have Lore x 3 with regards
to their own nature. Occult will have higher penalties for specific topics,
but Lore will be less flexible.
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Subterfuge A character who refuses to discuss a topic by saying that they do not want to talk about it does not count for the first requirement of this ability.
For example: Guy says "So, Jon, lets talk about boats". Jon says, "I don't want to talk about boats". Jon has not met the requirement of saying something dealing with the desired knowledge.
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Any character can learn panhandling or history.
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The influence rules have been modified heavily. See below.
Influences are figured on a calendar month. It doesn't matter what day the LARP falls on, once you use them, they are gone until the first of next month. A new character will start out with their influences inactive and will have their influences activate at the rate of one each month(player's choice).
The influence number on your sheet is your rating. Each rating gives a certain number of actions. Rating Actions 1 1 2 3(1+2) 3 6(1+2+3) 4 10(1+2+3+4)
The costs in the published rules refer to costs in actions. To use actions, first look at the cost and desired effect in the published rules. Find the desired affect you want to cause. Spending actions at a cost equal to or lower than your rating will create the desired effect unless another character does something to stop it. Spending actions at a cost higher than your rating has some risk. If you spend actions at a cost higher than your rating, the ST will ask you to do a simple test. If you win, the desired effect occurs unless another character does something to stop it. If you tie, the effect occurs as above, but your rating will drop by one for one month. If you lose, the effect will not occur and your rating will permanently drop by one. You can use one ability retest and one overbid. The desired effect will have traits equal to the cost.
You can also use influences in the following ways:
GROWTH To create a new influence rating, a character must spend 3 times as many unopposed actions of GROWTH as the new level of influence would allow. Thus, if a character with a 6 in media were trying to GROW a 7, that character would have to spend (1+2+3+4+5+6+7)*3=84 actions to GROW the new level. GROWTH actions are banked and when the bank exceeds the required level, then the new influence is created.
ACQUISITION Only the top most level of a target's influence may be ACQUIRED in any given month. To ACQUIRE an influence rating from another character, the character must spend twice the number of unopposed actions as the target gets from the influence. Thus, a character trying to ACQUIRE a target's media of 4 would have to spend (1+2+3+4)*2=20 unopposed actions to ACQUIRE the target's top level of media. These actions get banked, and once the bank has enough actions saved, then the player gets GROWTH actions equal to three times the level ACQUIRED. In the above example, the character who acquired the media of 4 would get (4*3)=12 banked growth actions and the target would drop to a media rating of 3. PROTECTION will reduce the number of ACQUIRE actions by twice the PROTECTION actions spent. To bank any ACQUIRE actions against someone who has a PROTECTION of 3, you would have to spend more than (3*2)=6 ACQUISITION actions.
DESTRUCTION Only the top most of a target's influence may be DESTROYED in any given month. To DESTROY an influence rating of another character, a character must spend an equivalent number of unopposed actions as the targets from the influence. Thus, DESTROYING a health of 6 would require (6+5+4+3+2+1)=21 unopposed DESTRUCTION actions. Unlike GROWTH and ACQUISITION, DESTRUCTION actions are not banked. PROTECTION works exactly the same as it does for ACQUISITION.
BLOCK Block actions prevent everyone else from taking specific actions. They reduce all actions of the type specified by the amount of actions invested in BLOCK. An example would be: Clarice invests 3 health actions in BLOCK to stop others from getting blood traits that month. Everyone else will waste the first 3 actions that they use to try to get blood that month. Clarice will not suffer that problem, unless someone else also BLOCKS Clarice from getting blood in the same manner. If more than one person BLOCKS the same thing, then the effects are cumulative.
PROTECT PROTECT actions are used to maintain your assets. It prevents others from DESTROYING or ACQUIRING your influences. It only works for that type of influence. For example, spending 3 police actions to PROTECT police does nothing to protect your university. Players whose influences are between the levels of 1-3 are automatically covered by the "small-fry" clause. The small-fry clause gives them 3 free PROTECT actions each month.
CONCEAL CONCEAL prevents actions like TRACE and ANALYZE. The minimum cost is that of the actions being CONCEALED. So, CONCEALING a 3 point action (like getting a SMG with underworld) costs a minimum of 3 actions devoted to CONCEAL, as well as the actions required to get the SMG. CONCEAL beats TRACE and ANALYZE if it is of a value equal to or greater than the TRACE or ANALYZE.
TRACE TRACE actions are specific actions to hunt down another player's influence. You need a place to start a TRACE. You can try to TRACE Tim's underworld, but if Tim doesn't have any underworld, then your actions are wasted. You can also TRACE an action that you found with ANALYZE. You must TRACE a player's influence before you can ACQUIRE or DESTROY it. The character must spend the # of unopposed actions that the target gets from the influence. The larger the influence that you are TRACING, the more it takes. If a player had 7 health, it would take 28 unopposed actions to map their entire influence empire. A player's influenced can't be TRACED until the entire influence is active or it is used, whichever comes first.
ANALYZE ANALYZE actions give information about what in general is occurring. It can be a general expenditure against everyone, or you can narrow it down. The first details you learn will concern yourself. It will tell you if someone else is TRACING, ACQUIRING, or DESTROYING your influences. You must beat the amount of CONCEAL actions with your ANALYZE to notice those actions. Next, you will learn about the biggest expenditures. A successful ANALYZE will give you the biggest expenditures.
COMBINE COMBINE is used when 2 or more players use their influence together in order to achieve a common goal. 3 COMBINE actions must be spent for each player after the first. COMBINING not give a TRACE on any of the COMBINED influences.
LOAN LOAN lets someone else use your influences. They get to use half the normal # of actions for that influence. LOANING someone your influence gives them an automatic TRACE on your influence.
INFLUENCES AND OVERCROWDING When any influence gets too crowded, people will start to experience problems using that influence. Losses may be permanent or temporary depending on the exact situation (Storyteller's discretion). The only way to avoid eventually losing influences due to overcrowding will be to decrease the amount of influence in the area, or by increasing the available pool of influence.
USING INFLUENCE IN OTHER CITIES The influence charts in the book refer to influence uses within your character's home city. To affect another city, a greater expenditure is required. Above the top level on any chart, the chart begins to repeat itself, but the higher numbers refer to regional effects. In the US, this would represent a statewide use of influence. Thus, Bureaucracy 7 would allow you to trace utility bills on a statewide level. Above the table for regional influences, there exists a table for national uses, and above that a table for international uses. A character with Bureaucracy 19 could trace utility bills anywhere in the world.
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Willpower A willpower trait can only negate the effects of a Mental or Social Challenge from a Kindred of equal or higher gen, or a ghoul or human. A willpower trait will give a retest if it is used against a vampire of lower generation by a vampire of higher generation or by any vampire against a creature other than a ghoul or human. Likewise, a retest is granted between non-kindred when willpower is used.
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Derangements Starting character make take derangements for 2 points each. This does not apply to a Malkavian character's first derangement.
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Merits and Flaws Only the following Merits and Flaws are approved for starting characters:
Acute Sense of Smell
Acute Sense of Taste
Baby Face
Berserker
Clan Enmity
Computer Aptitude
Deformity
Disfigured
Double Jointed
Eat Food
Efficient Digestion
Enemy
Fairie Affinity
Lame
Light Sleeper
Magic Resistance
Medium
Monstrous
Mute
Occult Library
One Arm
Prestigious Sire
Repelled by Crosses
Reputation
Soft Hearted
Speech Impediment
Spirit Mentor
Thin-Blooded
True Faith
Twisted Upbringing
Unbondable
Weak Willed
Acute Hearing
Characters entered in the system before July 3, 1998, can retroactively take their merits and flaws.
Experience No more than one attribute or a single level of any ability or influence may be bought each month. Derangements may be bought off for 5 experience points each. Beast Traits may be bought off for 10/15/20 for the 4th, 3rd and 2nd respectively. Merits may not be bought.
Telepathy Telepathy works within line of sight if the target is unwilling to make contact and 100 miles if the target is willing to communicate.
Obfuscate
There are now two intermediate forms of obfuscate. Unseen presence will not allow you to become invisible in front of someone. The first intermediate is called Fade from View. It works exactly like Unseen Presence, except that you can fair escape in someone's view. Note: You can't use unseen presence with someone watching and then move to a different room with someone else. It might be logical but it is a nightmare to keep track of.
Summon The range of Summon is 100 miles.
Rituals Characters may only have a few rituals active at any given time. This is based on their occult ability. To determine the number of rituals a character may have active, consult the following chart:
Occult Ability Active Rituals Allowed 1 1 2 3 3 6 4 10 5 15
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Rituals
Basic
Summon Guardian Spirit This ritual requires a Blood Trait and an elaborate ceremony to summon a minor spirit to watch the casters back for up to 24 hours. Upon any attack upon the caster, he is allowed to pre-empt the attack as if he had Alacrity. This can be countered by an attacker with actual Celerity at a higher level. The spirit only utters one such a warning and then departs, although the caster could return home and summon another before going forth again. The spirit guardian can ring bells, tap the caster or any other agreed upon action as warning, but it cannot speak, only appear to the caster only to warn or imminent danger and then fade away. It makes an excellent day watchman, assuming its charge manages to arouse himself to deal with the threat...
Shield of the Thinker This ritual protects the recipient (which need not be the caster) by allowing him one retest versus any use of Presence (or similar blandishments) before the next sunset.
Impenetrable Gloom This ritual must be cast in advance and requires the caster to distill a flask of squids ink, a Kindred Blood Trait and other mysterious ingredients, which are enchanted to that upon contact with air, the fluid expands into a Shroud of Night (like the Basic Obtenebration power) that lasts for the rest of the scene and can only be penetrated by Advanced Disciplines of Auspex, Obtenebration or Protean. Thus, the caster often keeps the darkness in a glass flask to hurl upon the floor and make a dramatic escape (or rescue, or attack...).
Shadowland Passage This ritual allows the caster to step into the Shadowlands adjacent to his Skinland location and return the same way (possibly miles from the site where the ritual was cast). He appears with all worn or carried (even another person if he is strong enough). The caster must step into compleat darkness, stab himself with a silver dagger (taking one wound level of damage) and have already panited X's over each eye with human ashes to activate the ritual.
Spirit Thamaturgy
Evil Eye This power requires a normal Mental Challenge and, if successful, curses the target so that the caster can force him to make a re-test at any later time whenever he succeeds at any challenge in the caster's presence. Upon the initiation of the Mental Challenge, the caster can choose to bid multiple Mental Traits, and if successful in the initial challenge will be allowed to make a Simple Test for each Mental Trait bid over the first. For each of those Simple Tests that he makes he can force an additional re-test in the future. Of course, all the Traits bid are lost in the case of failure. Multiple re-tests can be used in the same challenge. The curse lifts at sunrise.
Spirit Eyes The caster becomes capable of seeing spirits whenever he wishes. If the spirit possesses some form of defense against detection, a Mental Challenge may be required. Otherwise the power is automatically successful whenever the caster states that he is searching for spirits. Any spirit seen can be communicated with normally, once it is seen by the caster it will become audible to him as well (if it chooses to speak), although the caster will not be able to see, hear, etc what is going on in the material world at the same time and is quite vulnerable to surprise. With relevant skills, such as Spirit / Wraith Lore, Underworld Lore, etc the caster will be able to identify most spirits seen.
Intermediate
Spirit Slave Once a spirit has been detected with the previous power the caster can attempt a Mental Challenge to control it. If successful, the spirit can be forced to perform one task. If failed, the spirit is free to attack or (more likely) flee.
Fetish This power requires the expenditure of a Blood Trait and a successful Mental Challenge to use, but forces a spirit losing the challenge to inhabit an object of the caster's choice. While within the object the caster can call upon the spirit to answer questions or even exercise its abilities at his will. Note that many spirits will have no abilities of any use in the material world.
Advanced
Journey This power acts like the Advanced Auspex discipline of Psychic Projection (Masquerade, 2nd Edition, p. 56) except that the user must expend a Blood Trait to activate the power.
Harmonize Building Any new building built under the caster's specifications will gain one specific benefit chosen by the caster. The benefit will relate to the building's function (a bank will enhance finance, a chantry occult, a hospital medicine, etc.) and will allow those using the affected ability within the building to have an additional use of that ability each night and be allowed one retest on a failed use of that ability each night. This does not actually grant a higher level of that ability, just an extra use and retest.
Bidding Traits with Weapons Garrote-any length of thin wire Bonus Traits: 2 Negative Traits: Clumsy Concealability: Pocket Special Ability: 5 total traits if attacking from surprise
Stake Through the Heart The two simple tests to stake someone must be won, not tied. Might and Melee can be used to recall the first test & Medicine and Melee can be used to recall the second. The rational is the first one is to strike deep enough and the second is to hit the right location. The stake must transfix the heart to paralyze a vampire.
Diablerie If the vampire is more than one generation lower than the diablerist, the diablerist may make a Simple Test to see if they lower their generation more than one level. After the first drop in generation, if the diablerist is not yet at the same generation as his victim then they will do a simple test. On a win or tie they drop another generation. If they are still not the same generation as their victim, they may continue to make simple tests, dropping their generation on wins only. This process should be repeated until the diablerist fails to lower their generation or their generation reaches that of their victim.
The successful diablerist will also have the option, for six months after committing diablerie, to buy any of their victim's in clan disciplines at in clan costs. After committing diablerie, the diablerist must make yet another simple test. On a win, they do not receive a Beast Trait. On a tie, they receive a subhuman beast trait. On a loss they receive a monstrous beast trait. If they receive a beast trait, make on last simple test. On a win, the player chooses their own beast trait. On a tie, the storyteller chooses the beast trait. On a loss, the victim's player chooses the beast trait.
Appendices: A-Organization B-Eyes Only C-Ghouls and Humans D-Etiquette
Updated: July 3, 1998
Section 0: Definitions
0.0 The Published Rules refers to the "Laws of the Night" and any publications hereafter adopted.
0.1 The House Rules will refer to the official rules binder maintained by the Director.
0.2 As of April 14, 1998, the Director is Jon Spurr.
0.3 As of April 14, 1998, the Head Storyteller of Bloomington is Casey Bodak.
0.4 As of May 6, 1998 the Head Storyteller of Westfield is Sean Junkins.
0.5 As of May 9, 1998 the Head Storyteller of Terre Haute is Derrek Kageman.
0.6 As of June 5, 1998, the Head Storyteller of Indianapolis is Tony Taboas
Section 1: Administration
1.0 There will be Director whose duties will be to maintain a set of house rules, make the house rules available to the storytellers, and supervise the development of the overplot.
1.1 Each city that participates will have a head storyteller and one additional assistant storyteller for each ten players. The Head storyteller is responsible for the plot as it occurs within their city and any subplots developed by their characters.
1.2 The Head storyteller will choose the assistants. The Director may create assistant directors as required.
1.3 The Head Storyteller may appoint referees who will help to resolve challenges but who will not be privy to the plot information.
1.4 The Head Storyteller will make all house rules available to the players in such a manner that the players may familiarize themselves with the ways that our rules differ from the published rules.
1.5 The Head Storyteller will make the dates of each monthly LARP available to the players and to the Director at least 21 days before the monthly LARP will occur.
1.6 Players will designate a city as their home city and will report primarily to the Head Storyteller of that city. The Head Storyteller of the character's home city may direct the character to report their activities to a different storyteller at their discretion.
1.7 A Head Storyteller will not have access to Appendix B until their game has run for 3 months.
Section 2: Experience
2.0 Experience may be earned as follows:
a. Characters earn 2xp for the first LARP attended each calendar month. b. Each storyteller may award 1 bonus xp to any character or NPC for any reason once each month. c. The Head Storyteller in a character's home city may award one xp to any character who is unable to attend the monthly LARP in their home city. d. NPC's will earn 1 xp each month. e. A character attending a monthly LARP in a city other than their home city may be awarded 1xp by the head storyteller of that city. f. Storytellers and Directors may keep npc's representative of their characters and these characters may earn 2xp each month provided that they comply with all house rules. A storyteller or director who steps down from their position may take up these npc's and play them as characters. Storytellers and Directors may also play these characters in cities other than their own. g. Any player who brings in a new player will get one xp when that new player completes their second month of play. The new player must designate the player who introduced them to the game and notify the Director at the end of their second month.
2.1 Each character record will keep track of experience by showing the date and manner in which that experience is earned and the date and manner in which that experience is spent. A storyteller may refuse to accept a character in their game that lacks this record.
2.2 A player may retire a character at any time other than during play so long as that character is still alive and may apply ½ of the experience that character has earned to a new character.
Section 3: Character Types
3.0 Until further notice, only those character types listed in the rules and house rules will be allowed.
Section 4: Influence
4.0 The Head Storyteller will compile and report the effects of influence use in their city or will designate someone to do so.
4.1 The Head Storyteller will report influence usage to the Director, if the effects of the usage will reach outside that storyteller's city. The Director will then forward them to the appropriate storyteller.
4.2 Influence will reset on the first day of each month. Influence usage is due to a player's head ST by the last day of each month.
4.3 The Head ST or their designee will report to their players the results of influence usage by the seventh day of each month or shall set a different date if necessary.
Section 5: Dispute Resolution
5.0 The Director shall resolve any disputes between players and storytellers that do not involve a single city.
5.1 The Head Storyteller will resolve disputes between their own players and storytellers.
5.2 Disputes will be resolved by a written decision and that decision will be forwarded to the Director. The Director will review all decisions and address any need for a rules change but will not overrule a Head Storyteller resolving a dispute in their own city.
Section 6: House Rules
6.0 The Director will maintain the House Rules and provide the Head Storytellers with updates as requested.
6.1 Proposed changes in the House Rules will be submitted to the Director in written form.
Section 7: Character Records 7.0 The Director will maintain a copy of all character records for those characters who are approved for inter-city play. Updates will be provided to Head Storytellers as needed.
7.1 The Head Storyteller of each city will maintain the records of all npcs in that city that are not approved for inter-city travel.
Section 1: General
1.0 Chaos Consortium does not use the Livre de Ghouls supplement.
Section 2: Humans
2.0 Humans for player characters are created as vampires with no blood pool, willpower or disciplines. They have maximum traits of 10, maximum abilities of 3 and can buy up to 2 willpower. They will never get disciplines or blood pool.
2.1 Humans gain no extra points for their lack of disciplines and willpower.
Section 3: Ghouls
3.0 Ghouls are humans who have drank a blood trait from a vampire in the last 30 days. A ghoul automatically gains basic potence and can buy more as an in clan discipline. A ghoul can be taught any discipline as out of clan. Ghouls have 3 blood traits, and may buy willpower as a 13th gen.
3.1 A ghoul who runs out of blood traits or lets 30 days pass without drinking a trait of vampire blood will turn into a human, losing disciplines, extra willpower and aging the equivalent amount of time that they were ghouled.
Section 4: Miscellanea
4.0 Vampires may only create as many ghouls as they have blood traits. Blood bonding any creature will reduce the number of ghouls a vampire may create by one. Thus, a vampire may only ghoul or blood bond as many creatures as they have blood traits. If a vampire attempts to exceed this number, nothing will happen until one of the blood bonds they hold is broken or one of their ghouls returns to human.
4.1 Ghouled NPCs will not start out as good as PC's. The time taken to locate the person you are ghouling and the methods of locating them will be taken into account by the storytellers. For example: Ghouling the next person to walk in the mini-mart would probably get a random npc ghoul, searching the gym would probably net a ghoul with lots of physical traits, extensive time use may net exceptional humans as candidates.
4.2 NPC humans generally will not have influences. Bloodbonding or Ghouling a bank president will not get you financial influence, it may net you a ghoul with financial ability. The end result is up to the storyteller.
Section 1: Character Packets
1.0: Item Cards
Item cards determine the location of the player's possessions. If there is a dispute about whether or not something changed hands, the final say is based on where the item card is. The caveat here is to make sure you get an item card for everything that is given to you. Example: Mr. Jones tells Von Raab he will trade him a silver knife for $3,000. Von Raab agrees, but nothing changes hands. Later on a dispute arises. The knife is still in Jones' file or on his person. Jones' still has the knife. It is up to the players to see to it that they have appropriate item cards for their possessions issued to them by the storyteller.
Section 2: Character Sheets
2.0: Character Sheets
You will need to get a copy of your character sheet in order to play your character at a game. Normally, an updated copy will be sent to the Head Storyteller in your home city around the first of each month. If you are playing in another city, you will need to arrange with the Director or your Head Storyteller to get a copy of your character sheet.
2.1 Experience
The Head Storyteller of any city you play in is responsible for reporting any experience you earn to the Director. The Director will then update your character sheet. Players are responsible for reporting to the director any experience expenditures.
Section 3: Rules
3.0 Published Rules
The House Rules and their Appendices modify and add to the Published Rules. Players and Storytellers should be familiar with them.
3.2 Disputes
Disputes about the rules should not be pursued in game. If two players disagree, then a storyteller should make the call. If a player disagrees with a storyteller, the player should go with the storyteller's ruling and then address the problem to the Head Storyteller after the game. The Director will not overrule the Head Storyteller. A written complaint to the Director will only be a basis for changes to the House Rules or mediation of the dispute. We will not "turn back the clock" as a means of resolving disputes. Storyteller error will only be addressed by changes in the House Rules or a solution that applies to future situations. In other words, accept what the storytellers do. If you don't like it, seek to change the way we do things, but don't try to argue during a game.
Section 4: Between Games
4.0 Communication
Between games, players like to plot and plan. Storytellers will also communicate with players on sub-plots between the monthly games. There are a few courtesies to keep in mind. Don't call anyone at work, the game is our hobby but when we are at work we are on someone else's time.
When e-mailing a player in character, make a note at the top that it is an in character conversation. The initials ICM for "in character message" are common. If you want to show it as something other than an e-mail, note it as such. For example use the heading "a hastily scrawled note" or "an urgent phone call". When talking in public, keep in mind that those around you don't know you are playing a game. Talking about killing or stealing in a public place can draw unwanted and embarrassing attention.
4.1 Mini-Larps
Smaller games may occur each month. These are called mini-larps and they are often used to resolve subplots and other activity occurring between the monthly games. They normally don't earn any experience points for the players. Players can meet without the Storytellers to discuss the game, but any challenges have to be at the agreement of all players present. You can't turn a discussion into a combat session. If everyone does agree, then you will still need to get the Head Storyteller's approval.
4.2 Influences
Your influence expenditures are due in to your Head Storyteller by the last day of each month. The Head Storyteller will then get back to you within a week as to the results of your influences.
Section 5: Rules Changes
5.0 Rules Changes
As the need arises, the Head Storytellers and the Director may change the House Rules. An updated version of the House Rules will be available at each monthly LARP. Players are responsible for keeping abreast of the changes.
5.1 New Rules
Players who wish to submit new rules or rules changes should submit the complete wording of the rules they want to the Director in writing. These will be discussed and voted on.
5.2 Grand fathering
If a new rule effects character creation, characters already in the system are grand fathered and are not effected. For example a new rule that says all character start out as humans would not affect an existing vampire character. If the rule effects a character's function, for example by changing the way a discipline works, then all characters are effected.